The light and breezy tone of the majority of the book felt a bit incongruous with a couple of triggers, namely recalling a previous abusive relationship and the LI's battle of rake versus gentleman. I tend to prefer books that handle difficult topics appropriately, but in this case, it didn't seem to quite fit. I felt discomfort over Seth "ogling" Tara while she was a drunken mess. It didn't jive well with me.
Those few complaints aside, the premise of Truth and Dare leading to a month long fling was a fun idea. The banter and chemistry was sparking.
I read and listened to this book simultaneously. The narrator, Natalie Naudus, initially gave me the old valley girl stereotype vibes. At first it was a bit off-putting, but I quickly grew accustomed to it and it didn't bother me for the balance of the listen. I would have preferred dual narrators for each POV.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy and Macmillan Audio for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Tara Park doesn't want a relationship so when her best friend’s hot new brother-in-law dares her to date him for a no-strings-attached fling as a distraction, it seems perfect. With only 4 dates planned, what could possibly go wrong.

This was a fun, fast-paced and steamy romance with great characters. I was so glad that you get to both Tara and Seth's perspectives since watching them try not to fall in love was the best. They had chemistry and tension, so I was totally rooting for them. They both have baggage that gave them depth and personality; I loved that they were 'flawed'.

I enjoyed the story and felt it was believable enough for me to enjoy it. The dates were super fun, the smut hot, and the drama/angst was really entertaining. I loved how it ended and was so happy that the characters took a chance at happiness. It was fairly predictable but would totally recommend this, can't wait to see what Jayci Lee releases next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dating Dare is Jayci Lee's second book--Goodreads labels it as the second book in the A Sweet Mess series, but it doesn't seem related to her first book (which I have not read). You don't need any information from the first to enjoy the second. This story follows Tara and Seth who meet up at a wedding and decide to go in on a Dating Dare. Neither of these characters are looking for a serious relationship, so they are looking forward to a month of casual dating before Seth moves to Paris for a new job. Predictably, there's something else there in the relationship for these two and you see the romantic story formula play out. I enjoyed large parts of the story, but I feel like it was a little long. Some of the dates/non-dates just took too long. I'm curious to try out Lee's first book--the writing was enjoyable for the most part. Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the Advanced Listener Copy. Review posted on Goodreads.

4/5 Stars

Sparks fly from the moment they touch. A slightly drunken game of Truth or Dare turns into the dating dare and maybe a little bit more...

What is only suppose to be a few dates over a month for Tara and Seth turns out to be so much more. They have to look at what they have and decide if they are going to let past relationships change their future, and how it has already changed them.

This is a sweet and quick read, if you’re not into a lot of steam, this would be a good choice.

It’s also the second book in the series, can be read as a standalone, first book’s couple does make an appearance and is mentioned throughout the book.

I also HIGHLY recommend the audio for this book, the narrator did an amazing job and I really enjoyed listening to it.

This was a cute story. I enjoyed that the majority of the story didn’t focusing on them staying away from each other out of fear from their pasts. I’m going to go back and read the first book in this series and look forward to reading any possible upcoming stories!

I really liked this narrator, she was a perfect fit for this book.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

He’s only going to be in States for four weeks before moving to Paris. She’s not interested in a serious relationship. They’re perfect for each other for a four week/four date fling with one rule: no emotions, no falling in love.

I really liked Seth and Tara together, even if the “we can’t fall in love” trope is a little over done. Seth is an absolute romantic and men could absolutely learn from him - especially when it comes to planning dates.

The storyline and ending were pretty predictable, but that’s kind of how it goes with romcoms. Although I really liked Seth and Tara’s fourth and final date.

I listened to The Dating Dare on audiobook thanks to Macmillan Audio. Narrator Natalie Naudus was a great voice to listen to throughout the book.

The Dating Dare was a fun romcom and would be a great beach read.

4.5 stars rounded up
Ahh I absolutely loved this. The story started very quickly, so I was worried it was going to be a case of insta love, but there was the perfect amount of mutual pining and sappiness balanced out with some serious discussions and topics. Don’t get me wrong, I was swooning for practically the entirety of this novel, but there were enough unfiltered moments between the two main characters that I hardly ever felt like the romance was veering into cheesy territory. Overall, I loved this and flew through the audiobook. I’d highly recommend The Dating Dare to any romance readers who like dual POVs and pining.

I did not finish this book. I gave it up around the 12% mark. The male lead was kind of creepy and gross to take a drunken girl back to his hotel when there were plenty of other options available. His brother just married her best friend. He could have called them for help, I don't care if it was their wedding night. They already have a kid together, the wedding night's not that profound at that point. Also he knew the names of her brothers. He obviously knows her family at least in passing enough to have googled their address or to contact somebody they mutually knew. If he did need to take her to his hotel, he didn't need to undress her. Undo her zipper so she can breath and leave it at that. Stop thinking all those gross thoughts while stripping down a passed out stranger. It was creepy and horrible to read, and then he gets into bed?!? Sleep on the couch, or the floor, or something! He was literally thinking "good thing my mom raised me right or the things I would do to this body" 🤢
Also, the audio narrator wasn't great and the Korean words and aspects weren't given the strength they needed or deserved. The Korean cultural bits felt tacked instead of integral to the characters.

I really enjoyed the characters of Tara and Seth. I thought they had great chemistry and brought out the best in each other; their characters also grew during the course of the book and that was fun to read. I enjoyed the supporting characters and their friendships as well. The narration was well done and this was a fun book on audio.

I enjoyed the first one so much, particularly because I really liked the characters. This one, with Seth and Tara, not so much. Tara is so insecure that she becomes annoying. Seth is just OK. The writing is cheesy and the story is predictable. I was hoping for a book more like the first. The narration was well done, although loses a few points because the dialogue the narrator was given wasn't very good.

This book was cute. I really enjoyed it, and for anyone who read Sonia Hartl’s “Heartbreak for Hire”, I found the main character here (Tara) very similar to H4H’s Brinkley!

I loved Tara and Seth – their banter, their attraction, and their inability to keep their hands off each other. I also loved that they had emotional and traumatic baggage that they had been unable to get rid of from their pasts, and were afraid to reveal to anyone.

Attraction aside, both Tara and Seth were too afraid to enter into any real dating scenario, but intrigued crossed their path when Seth suggested a dating dare, where they go on four dates – but they aren’t allowed to fall in love with each other. You’ll have to read it to find out what happens, but I will say that things are complicated by his new job, which he’ll have to move to Paris for in a month.

The only thing that I wish had been different is that as great as the dialogue and internal monologues were for both Seth and Tara, their conversations with other people sometimes felt a bit off and unnatural. Honestly, I’d recommend both the book and the ebook to anyone looking for a cute enemies-to-lovers/proximity romance read. Lee’s ability to come up with creative alternatives for swear words kept me laughing, too!

It took me a little while to warm up to this story, partly because I didn't realize it was a sequel to a series when I first started reading and partly because the initial attraction seems more superficial than I prefer in my romances. Some plain old attraction is never a bad thing, but I like for there to be a bit more to be attractive about a person than just their outer appearance. Soon enough however, these two characters get to know each other and little by little peel back the layers that have kept them from living their best and most fulfilled lives. Both Seth and Tara have histories of a toxic relationship for one reason or another and that impacts the way they pursue a relationship with one another in the present day. I enjoyed seeing Seth's creativity blossom as he embraced his artistic gifts, with the help and encouragement of Tara's support. I also enjoyed seeing Seth support Tara as he learns more about her inner doubts and the reason behind her self consciousness. This story is light and was a fast read for me when I was in the mood to read a contemporary romance. I appreciated the supporting characters and seeing how this happily ever after came to be by the end of the story! Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own. The audiobook narrator did a great job as well.

I had no idea this book was in a series, and I kind of loved that I wasn't missing anything when reading (listening) to it. It's a super cute and quick read. Would be the perfect beach read! The audiobook was great. The narrator did a good job. And you can't beat a book that ends in Paris!

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me listen to the ARC.

With it’s wit and chemistry, The Dating Dare makes for a perfect summer romantic comedy!

The Dating Dare follows Tara and Seth, two friends who decide on a no-strings attach, secret fling after a game of Truth or Dare. I loved the chemistry and steam between Tara and Seth and their witty banter was perfect.

The narration was fantastic. Natalie Naudus does a wonderful job narrating. The pace was perfect and the dialogue flowed smoothly.

The Dating Dare is perfect for a quick, fun beach read. I definitely recommend!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the author, publisher and net galley for providing me with a free e-audio ALC of this book in exchange for my review.

This was a cute story, probably a good 'beach read' to pass the time and relax. I haven't read others by the author, and haven't read the first book in the series, but I felt like I could follow along with the story and characters.

3 stars.

I loved the concept of this book, but it was a bit steamy for my taste. I did enjoy the dynamics between the characters and I loved the dates that they went on (the picnic was so fun!) It was a cute story.

Good narration for a very formulaic romance novel. Second in a series. I didn’t read the first and dint have any issues with reading out of order.

The best way to describe this is cute. It's an easy listen with sweet moments and some drama to keep things interesting. It wasn't really a unique story, though I did like that the characters are Korean American and the main female character Tara is a master brewer. Those were fun additions and helped make this it's own book.

I didn't love Tara at first, she made the decision to get fall down drunk at her first meeting with Seth and proceeded to make a fool of herself. I also didn't like that she left herself in the care of Seth even though she barely knew him. Good thing he's a great guy who would never take advantage of her.

Luckily, I grew fond of Tara as the story went and adored her and Seth together. They've both been in terrible relationships that hurt them in the past and this was a great chance to find real love. The pacing of this is pretty quick and the audiobook narrator did a good job.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copy.

This book had a delightful twist on a classic romance trope - the girl who swears off dating meets the no-strings-attached brother-in-law of her best friend. For fans of Abby Jimenez, Talia Hibbert and Tessa Bailey, this book is a cute, refreshing story of an independent woman who works in a brewery and swears off serious relationships. The ultimate romantic comedy, the chemistry between Seth and Tara is steamy and exciting.

Overall, giving this a: 🌶🌶🌶/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've read a LOT of romantic books lately, and this one is a pleasant read and great and would absolutely recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook copy. Can't wait for this to come out next month!

The Dating Dare is book #2 in the Sweet Mess series although you don't need to read the first one to enjoy this one. Tara Park and Seth Kim drink and play Truth or Dare after their friends' wedding. Seth challenges Tara to 4 dates before he moves to Paris. The dates are fun and steamy, and the book is a delight to read. I'd recommend this book (and the first one- Sweet Mess) to fans of Jen Deluca or Talia Hibbert.

The narrator of the audiobook is great! Check it out.